Bita is the founder of the recipe website Oven Hug and co-host/co-producer of the Modern Persian Food podcast with Bita and Beata. She has over 20 years of experience inspiring others through teaching, coaching (as a family nutritionist), mentoring, and creating food-related content. Bita grew up in a Persian-American family in the Midwest and enjoys combining art and science (mom was an artist, and dad was a surgeon) to reinvent recipes in a simpler, healthier, and aesthetically pleasing way. Bita spreads her time between two residences: Menlo Park/the SF Bay Area and Southern California/south Orange County.
Summer Shenanigans
Hi Reader,
It's been the kind of summer that has both dragged and flown by. The draggy part has been a pesty virus hubby Bob can't seem to kick - the real kicker being that he's still waiting on the return of his sense of taste. Here's to hoping he'll be joining us in experiencing all the rich flavors we're stirring up soon.
Personal Updates:
Our younger daughter wrapped up a summer internship near home. She had the opportunity to cook and coordinate summer kids' camps for an underprivileged local population. We were gifted with both her presence and some fresh, young cooking inspo.
Business Updates:
Oven Hug:
I've started an Amazon Influencer Storefront to share some personal faves in the form of categorized and curated lists. Hop over to the following link for my kitchen tools & essentials recommendations:
I'll be adding to the kitchen list as I test and review products.
If you're an online shopping aficionado, you may also enjoy the vanity lists for self-care/personal care products, plus some vacay/night-out apparel and accessory fun!
disclaimer: I earn commissions on Amazon products purchased from the Oven Hug storefront.
Modern Persian Food:
Podcast partner, Beata Nazem Kelley and I were able to have a "real" branding photoshoot this summer.
Having started our venture at the start of the pandemic, most of our photos up to this point have taken place in my backyard, the Golden Gate Park, or someplace in between. It was really nice to finally put some officiality to things with hopes we can keep up the trajectory of our growth.
An unexpected spin-off of our photo shoot came from a connection our photographer has with Broke-Ass Stuart, an SF travel writer, and blogger.
Here is the article we helped put together in a fun collab project:
The Best Persian Food in the Bay Area
On the Podcast:
August features up-and-coming Persian Cookbook authors.
So far we've broadcast two episodes in our series, and we have two more in the cue so be sure to stay tuned.
In case you missed it, join us for:
Thanks to our continued sponsor, Zaffrus Saffron who helped support the production of episode 149; Savoring the Flavors of Iran with Chef and Author Nasim Alikhani of Sofreh.
What's Cooking?
The Oven Hug kitchen has been in full throttle being home for the summer in closer proximity to our families, and with prospects of partner projects in the works. I've cooked and eaten more eggplant this summer than in my entire life. I learned how to roast and char eggplant directly on the gas stovetop for a smoky taste. The Mirza Ghassemi recipe from Nasim's cookbook, Sofreh is fantastic.
Please tell me (hit reply to this email), how is your late summer going friend? Are you tasting anything fun?
- Bita
Bita Arabian
Bita is the founder of the recipe website Oven Hug and co-host/co-producer of the Modern Persian Food podcast with Bita and Beata. She has over 20 years of experience inspiring others through teaching, coaching (as a family nutritionist), mentoring, and creating food-related content. Bita grew up in a Persian-American family in the Midwest and enjoys combining art and science (mom was an artist, and dad was a surgeon) to reinvent recipes in a simpler, healthier, and aesthetically pleasing way. Bita spreads her time between two residences: Menlo Park/the SF Bay Area and Southern California/south Orange County.
Good morning Reader, Happy New Year! I'm sure your inbox is overflowing with New Year's offers, gym specials, and "reboot" programs. It can feel overwhelming. I've been writing this newsletter for over a decade and I've been on the receiving end of those same emails myself. Through my own journey and coaching others, I've found that setting big, lofty goals can feel daunting and later hard to sustain. Let's appreciate where we are right now, work with what we have and the people in our lives....
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Hi friend, Have you been inspired by a recipe, an idea, or a cultural story shared through Oven Hug or the podcast, Modern Persian Food? Would you like to continue to learn about Persian culture and cuisine through a positive frame? How you can help: Please take a moment to support the work behind bringing fresh content by participating in a simple vote. VOTE HERE The Taste Awards are an annual LA award show celebrating achievements in Food and Lifestyle Media. You may remember us talking...